In love with Trimble from Corpus Christi Oxford

[Tony C]

Wow, what a woman. Did anyone catch her star turn on 'University Challenge' tonight? She was the prime reason that CC clocked up 350 points against Exeter's paltry 15.

No subject beyond her scope, she was amazing.

[Mumpo]

In love with Trimble from Corpus Christi Oxford

Lincoln college Oxford scored 335 points in their quarter final match last week, against Queens' Cambridge's 50, and seemed equally able to field questions in any area of expertise. They are scheduled to meet Corpus Christi in the final, and I can't see either teams' semi-final opponents proving much of an obstacle.

When the New Hall, Cambridge team scored 35 points in 1998 it was a then record low, and they made it into the next day's papers. I wonder if Exeter will suffer the same indignity?

[Mr Shadrak]

In love with Trimble from Corpus Christi Oxford

I found myself hoping that Trimble intends to use that massive brain for the benefit of the world and isn't intent on just becoming a policy researcher for Tory Central Office or something.

The captain of Exeter looked clinically depressed before they'd even started. The woman doing a PhD in Film Studies who kept losing points for hasty interruptions had done well in the previous round.

[Sam]

In love with Trimble from Corpus Christi Oxford

It was hilarious, wasn't it? I've always supported my alma mater even before they became my alma mater on UC (we finally won it in 2006, the year I graduated, so obviously it's fate), and Manchester are looking good again this year, but if anyone will beat us, Corpus Christi will.

My mum doesn't like Ms Trimble at all, and although I sort of see why, I must say I found something oddly arousing about the posh authority she exudes. And she was incredible on those starters tonight.

[Tubby Isaacs]

In love with Trimble from Corpus Christi Oxford

I only watched the first two minutes, when she impressed me by knocking in 3 Raphael questions- including one also about Kenneth Clark.

The clever people from Oxford in my experience don't usually have much to do with Tory Central Office. The Civil Service fast stream probably beckons.

[Central Rain]

In love with Trimble from Corpus Christi Oxford

Tubby Isaacs wrote:

I only watched the first two minutes, when she impressed me by knocking in 3 Raphael questions- including one also about Kenneth Clark.

The clever people from Oxford in my experience don't usually have much to do with Tory Central Office. The Civil Service fast stream probably beckons.

According to my reliable sources she is more likely to spend her working life shuffling around libraries and earning about as much as a McDonald's trainee. This may or may not be a comfort to you.

[WOM]

In love with Trimble from Corpus Christi Oxford

I could develop a schoolboy crush.

If that's possible when she's, you know, half-ish your age.

[Tubby Isaacs]

In love with Trimble from Corpus Christi Oxford

What are your reliable sources, Central Rain?

She can't do any worse than me- on the sick. But she's a bit smarter, admittedly.

[Tony C]

In love with Trimble from Corpus Christi Oxford

"But the best academic experiences tend to be completely unexpected: lectures on Plato's Symposium on Monday afternoons in the summer, given in a remote room somewhere in the orchards in Worcester, where we would hear brilliant thoughts on Plato as the sun streamed in and ducks walked past the window quacking; or the Greek metre classes which turned into discussions of musical technique and attempts at verse composition over a gin and tonic".

I suddenly feel desperately unfulfilled.

[ian.64]

In love with Trimble from Corpus Christi Oxford

"But the best academic experiences tend to be completely unexpected: lectures on Plato's Symposium on Monday afternoons in the summer, given in a remote room somewhere in the orchards in Worcester, where we would hear brilliant thoughts on Plato as the sun streamed in and ducks walked past the window quacking"

Would you have to wear 18th-Century clothing for that do?

[Duncan Gardner]

In love with Trimble from Corpus Christi Oxford

Mr Shadrak wrote:

I found myself hoping that Trimble intends to use that massive brain for the benefit of the world and isn't intent on just becoming a policy researcher for Tory Central Office or something

You mean like her uncle Davy?

[Central Rain]

In love with Trimble from Corpus Christi Oxford

Tubby Isaacs wrote:

What are your reliable sources, Central Rain?

She can't do any worse than me- on the sick. But she's a bit smarter, admittedly.

Oh, I know a few people who move in the same circles and so are aware of her existence. She's writing a doctorate on Roman poetry or some such thing. The job market for academic posts in Classics is one of the few things to be unharmed by the credit crunch as there weren't any jobs before and there aren't any now either.

[Wyatt Earp]

In love with Trimble from Corpus Christi Oxford

I thought Classics grads did OK in the general job market, though.

Anyway, I try not to be invertedly snobby about this kind of thing, but there is a certain type of very brainy, posh Oxbridge person who combines extensive knowledge with an oddly unreflective, complacent High Toryism. And, well, she has the look. I hope I'm wrong.

[wingco]

In love with Trimble from Corpus Christi Oxford

I was surrounded by people like that at Oxford. I remember one woman, who was also doing English and set fair for a far better degree than I could ever hope to attain, talking to me about the DJ club night I did. She was exasperated by my policy of playing relatively obscure records, rather than, I dunno, Duran Duran, Shakin Stevens or whatever else was doing the pop rounds then. "Why don't you simply play the popular records that people like to hear?" she asked me. She couldn't see any point in what I was doing - it seemed to her that I was merely being baffingly obtuse. It was only pop records after all, and if I did things her way I might make some money.

[evilC]

In love with Trimble from Corpus Christi Oxford

Central Rain wrote:

Oh, I know a few people who move in the same circles and so are aware of her existence.

-

[N est à?]

In love with Trimble from Corpus Christi Oxford

Anyway, I try not to be invertedly snobby about this kind of thing

Personally, I find watching University Challenge, ah, unconducive to such displays of fair-mindedness.

[West End Zuma]

In love with Trimble from Corpus Christi Oxford

Nothing like University Challenge to make me feel completely dense. People having all that knowledge is not natural. It's the devil's work I tell you.

[evilC]

In love with Trimble from Corpus Christi Oxford

infinite probability wrote:

Nothing like University Challenge to make me feel completely dense. People having all that knowledge is not natural. It's the devil's work I tell you.

But it's fun when they get undone by a simple, everyday question, like ...I dunno... 'how much is a first class stamp?'. Whenever that happens, I breathe a small sigh of relief.

[Tubby Isaacs]

In love with Trimble from Corpus Christi Oxford

I reckon she'll walk after her PhD, Central Rain, perhaps bored with a supervisor less clever than she is.

I like the fact she sees choirs as a big draw at Oxford.

Classicists often do commerce, whatever that means. A lot of City, no doubt, which will be badly hit but also a fair bit of law and accounting which probably attracts them because it's like learning declensions. It didn't help me because as soon as there's money on something I can't remember it.

[Tubby Isaacs]

In love with Trimble from Corpus Christi Oxford

You've made me feel out of touch there, Clive.

[EIM]

In love with Trimble from Corpus Christi Oxford

Out of touch for the mid-90s, Tubby.

[Tubby Isaacs]

In love with Trimble from Corpus Christi Oxford

I used to know all the records wingco didn't play as well.

[anton pulisov]

In love with Trimble from Corpus Christi Oxford

Wa ayat al Urbi wrote:
And, well, she has the look.[/quote]
And the surname.

[Mumpo]

In love with Trimble from Corpus Christi Oxford

Well, what an extraordinary day. First Tony Adams, then Scolari... now this. Lincoln, Oxford have cause to be extremely grateful to Exeter's appalling score of 15, because their effort of 30 tonight would otherwise have set the record for lowest of the Paxman-helmed series. What's more incredible is that Lincoln posted scores in previous rounds of 220, 280 and 335; but tonight, they froze in the face of an overwhelming assault by Manchester. So my prediction of an Oxbridge final has collapsed spectacularly, and it's Manchester who will face the might of Gail Trimble in the final.

I love University Challenge. I should start a blog about it.

[Ray de Galles]

In love with Trimble from Corpus Christi Oxford

evilC wrote:

But it's fun when they get undone by a simple, everyday question, like ...I dunno... 'how much is a first class stamp?'. Whenever that happens, I breathe a small sigh of relief.

I wonder how many people on here would know the answer to that question (no googling now). I certainly don't.

I'll take a guess with 28p though, how'd I do?